soft power

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, media, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc., rather than by such "hard" means as military intervention or punitive economic measures.
  2. A state having this kind of power.

Pronunciation

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-soft power.wav

Word forms

soft power soft powers

Etymology

Coined by American political scientist Joseph Nye in the late 1980s and popularized in the 1990 book “Bound to Lead: The Changing Nature of American Power”.

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